


Dessert

by yarnandtea



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Venko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 14:28:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2471531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yarnandtea/pseuds/yarnandtea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaidan really didn't want to try speed dating, but after meeting James, he's glad he did it at least once.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dessert

**Author's Note:**

> This was a self-prompt. I saw a list of AUs going around and kind of latched on to "Speed Dating AU." Please note that I have absolutely no idea how speed dating really works. Everything I (think I) know comes from what I've seen on tv. So...take it with a grain of salt?
> 
> Mild smut in this one. Nothing too explicit I don't think.

Kaidan was still on the fence about speed dating right up until his last “date” sat down at the table across from him. Big guy with tattoos, but with an open grin, along with a few visible scars. Kaidan didn’t think he had a type, and if he did, this wouldn’t be it. But something about James appealed to him from the start. Maybe it was the way he seemed shy and, for all that he probably could have bench-pressed Kaidan, nervous. It was enough to pique Kaidan’s interest at least.

“You support the Spacers?” He gestured to the bracelet on James’ wrist, woven in white, blue, and black. He was pretty sure he still had a couple tucked away in boxes at home. Those had been ubiquitous on campus even back in his day.

James blinked down at the bracelet and then back up at Kaidan with a bemused grin. “Guess I’d better, since I’m going there.”

“You’re a student?” Kaidan couldn’t quite keep the surprise from his voice.

Thankfully, James didn’t seem offended. “Yeah, third year.” He shrugged. “I got a late start.” Another shrug. “Marines,” he added by way of explanation.

So they spent their fifteen minutes talking about James’ studies and the campus, and the crotchety old geography professor that was somehow still there and that it seemed no one could escape campus without taking at least one class from. James managed to steer the conversation back to Kaidan at the end, and Kaidan was gratified that the younger man’s eyes didn’t glaze over when he tried to explain his coding job.

Then the bell rang, signaling the end of the evening. A look of disappointment flashed across James’ face and he stood, extending a hand to Kaidan. “Nice meeting you,” he said.

Kaidan nodded and returned the sentiment. He looked down at his “RESULTS!!!” card, rolling his eyes once more at the cheesy hearts surrounding the title. He hadn’t written anything on it, but now he picked up his pen and wrote “#8, James” in a clear, deliberate hand. Then he got up, turned it in, and left the restaurant, hoping against hope that he hadn’t been imagining the connection.

~*~*~

It was a week before he heard anything from the speed dating people. He’d pretty much given up hope by that point, and figured they were just calling him out of formality. This was enforced by the apologetic tone of the representative who called, so it was a bit of a surprise when she said, voice full of sympathy, “It looks like you only had one match, Mr. Alenko.”

Kaidan’s heart sped up. One match was good. One match was excellent, even. He could feel a silly grin breaking out on his face and he tried to keep his voice even as he replied. “Ah, all right. So what happens now?”

“I give you the phone number for your match,” there was the sound of rustling papers on the other end of the line. “His name is James, it looks like.” Kaidan’s heart started beating even faster. He forced himself to pay attention to the phone, because the lady was still speaking. “Anyway, I give you his number. He’s been given yours. It’s up to the two of you from there. Are you ready?”

Kaidan picked up a pen, dropped it while looking for a scrap of paper, and then retrieved it. “Ready,” he confirmed. She rattled off a number and he copied it down, then repeated it to confirm he had it right. “Thank you!” he said in a too bright voice as he hung up, goofy smile still in place.

He stared down at the number in his hands, thinking. _Do I call him right away? Or am I supposed to wait a day or two?_ Maybe he should call Ash and get her opinion. This whole speed dating thing had been her idea after all. He started to pull up her number, and then the phone rang in his hands. He blinked for a second, staring between the number on the screen and the number he had just written down. They were identical.

“Hello?” He did his best not to sound like a kid at Christmas.

“Um, hi. Kaidan?” They had only spoken once, should his voice already sound familiar? “This is James. From last week? I don’t know if—“

“I remember you,” Kaidan broke in, letting some of his joy seep into his tone. “I was just trying to figure out if it was okay to call you already,” he admitted.

“Well, guess so,” James answered with a laugh. “Gotta say, I couldn’t really make myself wait.”

Kaidan was pretty sure it was physically impossible for his smile to get any wider at this point. It still tried though. “So what do you think,” he asked, “dinner? Drinks?”

“Picnic on the beach?” James suggested.

“Seriously?”

“Sure,” James laughed. “Why not? It will give us a chance to talk without worrying about anyone else’s schedule, no interrupting wait staff either.”

Kaidan thought about how much it had sucked when their first conversation had been put to an abrupt end and decided James made a valid point. “I’d like that,” he said.

“Cool. I’ll take care of dinner. You bring the drinks.”

“Okay. Got any preference?”

“I’ll drink whatever’s available,” James said, “but I _like_ good beer.”

“I can manage that,” Kaidan chuckled.

“Good. I live not far from the beach. You wanna come by and pick me up?”

“Sure. When?”

“Whenever, man,” James laughed again. “Tonight? Tomorrow?”

“I’m free tonight.”

“Awesome. Seven sound good?”

“Yeah, that works.” It would give him time to get home, get cleaned up, and run by the store on the way to James’ place. He figured if he was a student and lived near the beach, he had a pretty good idea of what neighborhood he was heading towards. James gave him an address right about where Kaidan expected and then apologized that he had to end the call to get to class. “See you tonight,” Kaidan said by way of farewell.

Kaidan stared at the phone for a few minutes, wondering how he was going to focus on work for the rest of the day with the promise of his date looming in the distance. _Been a long time since_ that’s _been an issue_ , he thought with a snort. He put his phone away and turned his attention to his computer, determined to finish up a little early if he could.

~*~*~

Kaidan pulled up in front of James’ apartment building and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He’d managed to slip out of work a little before the end of the day, and had taken his time getting ready for the date. He’d paused in front of his bedside table for a few minutes before leaving, deliberating on whether or not to grab some of the supplies he kept inside. On the one hand, first date, and he didn’t want to be presumptuous. On the other hand, it was hard to shake his “be prepared” mentality. He hadn’t actually ever been a Boy Scout, but a few of his friends growing up had, and he’d gone on a trip or two with them, when they were trying to recruit new members. He liked the motto. It made sense. So with that in mind, he grabbed a couple of condoms and a small tube of lubricant and shoved them in the pocket of his hoodie before he could really talk himself out of it. Just in case.

Now, here he was to pick up James, two six-packs of his favorite beer in the trunk, hoodie folded up in the back seat where he couldn’t think too hard about what was in the pocket, and hope and apprehension warring for control of his emotions.

He turned off the car and was just stepping out when James emerged from the building, a large cardboard box cradled in his arms. “Hey, man!” he called out, giving Kaidan a wide grin. “Pop the trunk for me?” Kaidan obliged, letting out a chuckle as James settled the box in the back of the car. “I know it’s not as romantic as an actual picnic basket,” James said, “but I didn’t have one big enough.” He gave an appreciative glance at the beer and nodded before closing the trunk and coming around to the passenger side.

“How much food did you bring?” Kaidan asked, amused, as they climbed into the car.

James shrugged and grinned again. He still looked nervous, Kaidan noted, but the shyness seemed to have disappeared. “I forgot to ask what kind of food you like, so I just made a little bit of everything.”

“You _made_ dinner?” Kaidan’s eyebrows shot up.

“Hell yeah!” James winked at him. “I gotta do this right. It’s the only first date we get.”

Kaidan thought about pointing out that it wasn’t really their first date, but James seemed to have decided that their initial meeting didn’t count. He was kind of inclined to agree, so he just nodded and started the car, feeling the silly smile trying to break free again. James directed him to the beach and toward the parking lot nearest the spot he had in mind for dinner. He offered to carry the box, but James wasn’t having it.

“Grab the beer and follow me,” he said, lifting up the box and heading off. He led them down the beach a ways and through a haphazard pile of boulders. Kaidan eyed them with some trepidation, and James shot a reassuring smile over his shoulder. “They’re fine, I swear. Been like this for years. They’re a lot more stable than they look. It’s cool though, because it keeps people away from this spot for the most part. If we’re lucky we’ll have it to ourselves tonight.”

Curious, Kaidan nodded and kept behind James. He certainly moved with surety, as if he knew exactly where he was going. That pushed back some of Kaidan’s worry. They made it through the boulders and emerged onto a small crescent-shaped stretch of beach. It was tucked into the curve of a cliff face, and from what Kaidan could see, the path through the boulders was the only way in or out. Well, that and swimming, he supposed.

“Can you grab the blanket out of the top of the box?” James asked, setting it down in the shadow of the cliff. “If you get that spread out, I’ll set everything up.”

“Sure,” Kaidan agreed. He set the beer and his hoodie down by the box, and picked up the blanket. By the time he had it all smoothed out on the rocky sand, James had anchored the corners with camping lanterns. They didn’t need the light just yet, but the sun was already sinking in the sky, and he knew he’d be glad of them before long.

“Again, not as romantic as actual candles,” James half apologized, “but less likely to get blown out by a stray breeze.”

“You worry too much,” Kaidan said, offering a soft smile. He reached out to put a hand on James’ arm, a soft reassurance. “This is perfect.”

“Yeah?” James turned away, busying himself with unpacking the box, but not before Kaidan saw the flush spread across his cheeks.

“Can’t even remember the last time someone actually tried to romance me,” Kaidan said, retrieving the beer and toeing off his shoes before settling down on the blanket.

“Must have been dating the wrong people, then,” James teased.

“Guess so.” Kaidan laughed and offered James a beer before opening his own. “Though it’s been so long since I’ve even been on a date,” he started, then left off with a sigh. “Well, you know how it goes.”

“Heh, yeah,” James said, coming to sit beside Kaidan and handing him a plate. “I do, actually. Haven’t been on a date in ages. To tell the truth, the whole speed dating thing wasn’t my idea at all. A buddy signed us up without telling me. By the time we got there, it was too late to back out.”

Kaidan clinked his beer against James’ and he felt a sudden rush of solidarity sweep through him. “I wasn’t real keen on it either. My best friend talked me into it.” Actually, she’d threatened to get his mother involved if he didn’t start getting out more. Emotional blackmail, plain and simple, but he didn’t think James needed to know that just yet. Besides, “Guess I shouldn’t complain though, given that we wouldn’t be here otherwise.” He shot James a warm smile and got one in return, warm enough that he felt his own cheeks heating up in a blush. Turning his attention to the food James had set out, he asked, “So, what do we have here?” He blinked as he took it all in. “Wow, you really did make a little bit of everything.”

It reminded Kaidan of a buffet. About a dozen different kinds of food lay before them, each container holding a spoon or fork to retrieve its contents. When had James even had time to make all of this?

“Only had one class this morning,” James chimed in, reading his thoughts. “I, uh, cook when I get nervous.” He blushed again and gestured to the food. “Anyway, I figured you could try a little bit of everything that looks good to you, and then you can have whatever you like best and I’ll eat the rest.” At Kaidan’s raised eyebrow he added, “Well, I can save whatever doesn’t get eaten for later at least.”

Kaidan shook his head and laughed as he dug in, trying to fit a little of everything on his plate. He glanced over at the beer sitting by the food and shook his head again. “Feel like I’m not pulling my weight, here, James.”

“Nah, you got the beer, you drove.” He winked as he took a bite of something from his own plate. After he had swallowed it, he added, “If we decide we want dessert, you can take care of that, yeah?”

Kaidan nearly choked on his food, and he took a quick drink of his beer to recover, thoughts flashing to what was in the pocket of his hoodie. To try to cover his line of thought, he teased, “What, you don’t have a three-tier cake hidden in that box?”

“Ran out of time,” James replied with a grin. He nudged Kaidan’s shoulder with his own and they tucked into their food, silence falling as they ate.

Everything tasted wonderful. James really knew his way around the kitchen. It was sweet, too, that he had wanted to make sure there was something Kaidan would like. Problem was, he was pretty sure he liked _all_ of it. They didn’t finish off every dish, but they made a valiant attempt. The sun had disappeared over the horizon by the time they were done, and in the glow of the lanterns, Kaidan helped James pack up the remaining food and tuck it all back into the box.

They had finished off the first six-pack by then and broke open the second as they settled back on the blanket, propped up on their elbows, looking up at the sky and listening to the waves. James let out a contented sigh and Kaidan glanced over at him, taken aback by how gorgeous James looked, lit up by the lantern light. He bit his lip, wanting to reach out and trace his fingers over James’ face, to lean in and kiss him.

“I love this spot,” James said, breaking the silence. He was looking up, a soft smile playing across his lips. “You can actually see the stars out here.”

“Stargazing, huh? You are a romantic.” Kaidan shifted slightly, reaching out to take James’ nearest hand.

James shot him a smile and linked his fingers through Kaidan’s. “Yeah, guess I am. Also an astronomy student though.” He glanced back up at the sky for a second and then at Kaidan again. “I’m glad we matched up. I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Me too,” Kaidan breathed.

Their eyes met and they held each other’s gazes for a few long moments. Then James leaned in and Kaidan moved to meet him, their lips coming together in a rush of heat and want and _right_. James didn’t stop moving forward, keeping up the momentum and pushing Kaidan down onto his back, rolling on top of him. A quiet groan escaped from between Kaidan’s lips and he shifted his legs, spreading them to accommodate James’ body.

He reached up, one hand splayed against James’ broad back, the other cupping the back of his head, holding him close. He darted his tongue out, tracing James’ lips, sliding it inside James’ mouth. James grunted and rolled his hips. Kaidan pulled him closer, wanting to dissolve the space between them. Shit, this felt good. It had been too damn long. A part of his brain tried to tell him to slow down, to be more cautious, but he ignored it. There was something about James, about being with him, that just felt like it was exactly how things were supposed to be.

James broke the kiss, taking a deep, shuddering breath as he dropped his forehead onto Kaidan’s shoulder. “ _Dios_ , Kaidan I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to apologize for,” Kaidan managed.

“I know we should take things slow,” James murmured, “try to savor it. But damn, I just,” he drew in another one of those deep breaths, “want you so much.”

“Yeah,” Kaidan agreed. “Feeling’s mutual.”

“Yeah?” James lifted his head up, catching Kaidan’s eyes, hope written across his face.

“Hey, you said I’ve got dessert, right?” Kaidan dropped his hand from James’ head, catching up one of his hands and bringing it to his mouth to kiss his knuckles. “Whatever you want, James.”

James’ breath caught in his throat. He fixed his gaze on Kaidan, eyes round and serious. “You’re sure?” Kaidan nodded and James’ face broke out into a wide grin, bright enough to dim the stars above them. “Cool.” He levered himself up and rolled off of Kaidan. At Kaidan’s sound of protest he laughed. “Hey, I’d love to continue this here, but the, uh, supplies for that are one thing that _isn’t_ in my box.”

“Um.” Kaidan’s eyes flickered over to his hoodie.

James followed his gaze, eyes going wide again. He looked back at Kaidan’s sheepish grin and let out another laugh. “Seriously?”

“Always be prepared?” Kaidan tried.

“What, were you a Boy Scout or something?” James crawled over to the hoodie, snagging it and bringing it back to the blanket.

“Not exactly. It just always sounded like a good policy to me.”

“Cool,” James said again, fishing around in the pockets. He pulled out the condoms and lube and tossed the hoodie back to the ground, then turned back to Kaidan with a mischievous grin. “So. Whatever I want, huh?”

Kaidan’s breath caught and his heart sped up. A surge of lust shot through him at the look in James’ eyes. “Yes,” he whispered. Clearing his throat he nodded, then repeated himself in a louder voice. “Yes.”

James scooted over to him and leaned down to press a soft kiss to Kaidan’s lips. Then he sat back, looking at the condom and lube in his hands, contemplative. “How long has it been, in all seriousness?”

Something in his tone made Kaidan sit up on his elbows again. He tilted his head, thinking it over. “Couple years,” he mused. “Three, at least.”

James let out a low whistle and shook his head. “And I thought I was having a dry spell.” He softened the words with another quick kiss, then he sat up and set the condom down on the blanket. “We’re not gonna need that tonight, then. Been too long for both of us. I want to be able to take our time, not have to worry about sand in awkward places or someone else showing up and interrupting the fun.”

There was a hint of question in his voice, so Kaidan nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. Plenty of other stuff he could think up off the top of his head, and from the glint in James’ eyes, he figured he wasn’t the only one with a few other ideas.

James proved him right, moving over to kneel in between Kaidan’s legs again. Kaidan watched him with heavy eyes as James undid his fly, pulling the front of his pants apart and cupping Kaidan’s cock through his underwear. Kaidan groaned and let his head fall back, only just managed to keep his hips from thrusting up. James loosed a deep laugh and Kaidan felt a tugging at his waist. He lifted his hips and sucked in a breath as James pulled down his pants and boxers, exposing his skin to the cool night air.

The feeling of cold was short lived. James took him in hand and gave him a few slow, sure strokes. Kaidan groaned and thrust, just a little, before the warmth disappeared again. There was the soft sound of rustling fabric and then he heard a zipper. Kaidan lifted his head to find James shirtless and pushing down his own pants and boxers. Kaidan grinned and drank in the sight. His eyes roamed, cataloging the newly visible tattoos. He reached up a hand and traced his fingers over some of the black lines, reveling in the shudder that went through James at his touch.

“Come on, K,” James said, reaching down to tug at the hem of Kaidan’s shirt. With James’ help, they managed to get the shirt off, and it joined Kaidan’s hoodie and James’ shirt. Kaidan pulled James down to him, seeking another kiss, and James obliged. He reached for one of Kaidan’s hands, linking their fingers together, squeezing tightly as flesh pressed against flesh. With his free hand, Kaidan found the lube, flipping it open with his thumb. James held out a hand and Kaidan squeezed some of the slick substance into his palm.

James reached between them, coating first Kaidan’s cock, then his own. He shifted position, holding himself up with the hand still gripping Kaidan’s, pressing it into the blanket. He leaned down to kiss Kaidan again, wrapping a fist around his cock. Kaidan slid his free hand between them as well, stroking James, mirroring his movements. Their kiss broke apart and James dropped his head to Kaidan’s shoulder again, his soft grunts of pleasure and exertion right next to Kaidan’s ear only fueling the fire that raced through him. They joined their hands, thrusting their cocks together into the tight circle they had formed, moving together, and that was enough to send them both over the edge. They came at almost the same moment, Kaidan only a second or two ahead of James.

“ _Dios_ ,” James panted, rolling to one side and lying down on the blanket. He gathered Kaidan up in his arms, pulling him close and holding him tightly. He kissed the side of Kaidan’s neck. “That was fun.”

Kaidan slid an arm around James, turning so he could face him. “Yeah,” he agreed. He gave James a one-armed hug and flopped onto his back again, grimacing when a sudden breeze hit the cooling mess on his stomach. “Don’t suppose you’ve got any towels in that box of yours?” He shot James a hopeful look.

“I’ve got napkins,” James offered.

“That works,” Kaidan said with a laugh, pushing himself up to go find them. He and James got cleaned up and dressed again, then sat back down on the blanket with their arms around each other’s waists. They watched the waves crashing against the shore for a little while before Kaidan turned to James. “You have any plans for tomorrow night?”

“I think I do now,” James said, winking. He kissed Kaidan. “Don’t know why you’re thinking about tomorrow already though. Night’s still young, after all. And I’m pretty sure I’m still calling the shots. You _did_ say whatever I want.”

“Oh?” Kaidan grinned. “What did you have in mind?”

“Let’s pack up and head back to my place.” He stood up and offered a hand to Kaidan. “We can watch a movie or something. Maybe think about a second helping of dessert.”

“I like the way you think,” Kaidan said. They moved to pick up all of their belongings and trash, conversation shifting to what movie to watch. As Kaidan followed James back to the car, he once more felt that sense of rightness settle over them. Something told him James had been smart to make this first date a special one. If Kaidan’s intuition was right, he didn’t think either one of them was going to have to worry about first dates ever again.


End file.
